


candy hearts and shooting stars and oh my god

by mulgogish



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Bets & Wagers, Bickering, Enemies to Lovers, M/M, Pranks and Practical Jokes, Romantic Comedy, Some Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:48:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28445667
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mulgogish/pseuds/mulgogish
Summary: Here comes what we're here for.Why are Sungchan and Chenle purposely ignoring each other?
Relationships: Jung Sungchan/Zhong Chen Le
Comments: 8
Kudos: 77





	candy hearts and shooting stars and oh my god

**Author's Note:**

> [♡](https://open.spotify.com/track/29NtQIeq1rXjl0uiJJNdXg?si=Qr31FkzYQjmm6JQkGGnsxw)

Zhong Chenle and Jung Sungchan are two separate beings living peacefully away from each other. They ignore each other because like any other high school student, they have their own cliques to hang out with. 

The class clowns are not so bad, they prank each other right as the school gates open. Sometimes they do it on others, but mild enough to not seem rude. They mostly do it within their group. The said group consists of Yangyang, Donghyuck, and Sungchan — and Lee Jeno if you agree that he's only there because they forced him to. 

Then there's the rich kids, the ones who are too cool to open a conversation with unless you live at the Neo Villa across town. They're quite nice, but intimidating from the way they walk and present themselves. They have a lot of members all over the school, but there are Jaemin, Renjun, and Chenle for this particular class. They talk amongst themselves, laugh with each other, share stories of the high-end life together. 

There's normally no reason for these two cliques to clash. The class clowns would make it sure not to joke around with any of the three as they are sort of intimidating. The boy Jaemin doesn't mind, he's friends with everyone. But again, they don't have any reason to speak to each other. 

The question is, why are Chenle and Sungchan ignoring each other on purpose this time?

Let's wind it back a little. 

  
  


_#1_

  
  


For the record, pranks are normal. Pranks are normal for the usual class clowns but only within their friend group. Donghyuck would squeeze a lemon onto Yangyang's unknowing face and no one would bat an eye, call it a normal day if you must. Sungchan would trip Jeno with his long legs and get cursed at for being too tall, the taller one would just mock him, "Maybe you should grow taller." He would bite back sometimes, most times he'll just laugh. 

That one morning though, Sungchan was able to catch the first bus on time. He'd come earlier than the rest of the class and all of his friends. A smile etched on his happy morning face as he entered the classroom. 

More information on the seat arrangements: Yangyang and Jeno sat beside each other, Sungchan was forced to sit in front because they cannot break the second door in the back again for reasons their homeroom teacher is too stressed to explain over and over. (It was because of that one time Sungchan tried sneaking at the back, but with his unknown strength and clueless mind that didn't know it was locked, he pulled the door harder that it, well, broke away from the wall.) Donghyuck was placed next to Jaemin. Seeing the empty chair made him believe that was his chance to get back at Donghyuck for putting wasabi in his matcha donut last Friday. 

Sungchan has one plan and all it takes is one small pack of super glue for Donghyuck to fall on his knees with a huge hole in his pants right on his butt. 

  
  


The plan was concluded right before the bell rings and Jeno came running inside followed by the other two. There was also Chenle tailing behind but Sungchan couldn't care less about him that time, he only wanted to see Donghyuck sit on that chair oblivious to his master scheme. 

The only problem is Donghyuck sat behind Yangyang which is on the other side of the room from the chair he just super glued. 

Alarm bell rings through Sungchan's mind as he snaps his head towards the seat next to Jaemin and sees that Zhong Chenle's butt is close to the chair. He shouts, but the other has completely sat himself on it. 

"What?" Zhong looks at him with disgust that Sungchan might as well be a puke on the floor. 

"...Chair." Sungchan helplessly says which gains the attraction of his annoying friends. Yangyang was the first to question what's happening. Sungchan turns to them, eyes glaring at Donghyuck. "Why are you sitting there?"

"Hm?" Donghyuck looks around his desk before settling to batting his eyelashes at the taller. "Chenle asked me to switch places today. They're gonna talk about rich people stuff. Apparently, I'm not welcome." 

Just as Jeno has the perfect remark for Donghyuck being penniless at the age of eighteen, they hear a scream from the other side of the room. Thus, Sungchan's nightmare begins.

"Jung!" 

Sungchan turns his face away from the scene — that's definitely Chenle's irritated voice shouting at him. He pinches his eyes close hoping to disappear into oblivion until Jeno nudges his hip, and then he has no other choice but to accept the inevitability of death. Also known as Zhong Chenle's wrath. 

"Jung you did this, did you!" It was more of a screech than a question. Sungchan opens his eyes at that, spotting his classmates mumbling not helping the commotion subside at all. Chenle tries to stand up without taking the chair with him and fails.

Donghyuck sees all this and decides to laugh. It literally sounds like the laugh of an evil villain about to make the most notorious choice of action. Sungchan wants to curse but it will only be muffled by Chenle's unending curses at him. 

"...I'm sorry?" Sungchan manages to squeak, making a face of uncertainty with his eyes half close and mouth open and closing. 

"Oh no, Chenle, he doesn't even know if he's sorry." Jaemin mutters beside his struggling friend and Donghyuck laughs some more. 

Frankly, Na Jaemin should be the one to blame this time. If it was Renjun he would have told Chenle to ignore Sungchan's pranks and fix himself later after class. But this one, the pink hair fairy isn't as forgiving and dismissive as their other friend. He likes drama more than the rest which in fact helps them get into a bigger trouble than intended. 

Chenle couldn't really walk to the principal's office with a chair stuck on his butt so the Principal went to them. He asked the class to exit the room while he talked to the two. If you ask Renjun if he heard the yells of his friend he won't be able to confirm, because he had his earphones on. But if you ask Yangyang, he'll even recite everything for you:

"Sungchan is an annoying, attention seeking beanpole! He should be the only one punished! I am the victim here why am I joining him for detention. This is unfair, I'm calling my lawyer!" Said in the best impression of Zhong Chenle ever. Maybe not, but Yangyang impresses himself day by day. He believes he can be a comedian, Sungchan punches his arm at lunch for that. 

  
  


_#2_

  
  


They thought the super glue incident was the start and end of it. Aside from the fact Chenle continues to annoy Sungchan with his endless nicknames for him, they don't talk any other time they come across each other. The remorse lives rent free on Chenle's mind though, he never acts upon it. Sungchan is just really embarrassed and would rather not mention it again. 

But that's what they thought, and what they think isn't relevant to what the universe wants. What it wants is for Sungchan's brother, Jaehyun to hang out with his best friend who he hasn't seen in less than a year. He's told college does that to someone. Jaehyun grew sentiment in his body once and told Sungchan, "You should have fun with your friends while you still can. All I have fun with are my math textbooks." 

As much as Sungchan wants to barf at his brother's sappiness, he thinks he'll miss the lame jokes and fun pranks once they go their separate ways. 

What he doesn't understand is why he has to tag along to this best friend meet up thing. 

  
  


Chenle, on the other hand, misses Sicheng even if his cousin lives right next door to their mansion. They are rich and one lot is equal to half the school lot. It's difficult to get a glimpse of Sicheng if he's not outside ogling at the Japanese next door. So when his cousin tells him they're meeting up with his best friend for the night, Chenle was more than happy to accompany him.

He's told this Jaehyun is pretty athletic and loves basketball as much as he does. "You'll get along well, I swear." Sicheng tells him as he starts the engine of his car. Chenle never bounces on his seat but he did this time. "He'll be bringing his brother. He's your age, I think. I can't remember." He mumbles the last part but Chenle couldn't care less. He'll take everything if it means joining his coolest cousin and his best friend. 

  
  


He wants to take that back. 

If only he asked what the name of Jaehyun's brother is then he would definitely be sitting in his bedroom trying, and failing, to do his homework. He'll probably be skyping Jaemin while trash talking the tall person in front of him now. 

"Jae!" Sicheng chirps, doing an exclusive handshake with Jaehyun; which Chenle wasn't able to catch because he was too busy glaring daggers at the person next to Jaehyun. "That's your brother? He's taller than me."

Chenle fights the urge to scoff but fails. "Yeah, apparently the air up there makes you stupid."

"What was that, Lele?" Sicheng hums, eyes sparkling with interest and innocence as he faces his cousin. Chenle realizes this and forces a smile back.

Sicheng introduces him to Jaehyun, and Jaehyun introduces Sungchan to them. The two youngest made a mental agreement to mind each other's business for the rest of the night. 

The first stop is the movies, the two chose a popular action film. It's the bane of Sungchan's existence. Chenle thinks they make too many action films that it should be banned now. 

As per the usual best friend code, they forget they're with anyone else and sit by each other's side. This was a huge problem for Sungchan and Chenle who can't stand each other but now has to sit side by side for at least two whole hours. They could hear Jaehyun mumbling about how cool the effects were while explaining terms Sicheng couldn't understand. 

Chenle glares at their backs while chewing the popcorn as if he's breaking it with his claws. Poor popcorns, they deserve it because he's sharing them with Sungchan. It's even more frustrating that he chews loudly, the explosions and yells from the big screen isn't enough to cancel it out. 

Chenle had enough. "Can you stop breathing?" He grumbles, glancing at Sungchan whose eyes are immersed with the scene playing in front. 

"Hm, sure." Sungchan mumbles, patting the popcorn box on Chenle's thighs to grab more popcorn. His cheese-covered fingers landed on Chenle's hand. "Sorry." He turns, eyes wide like a deer caught in the headlights. 

The other just furrows his brows, angrily placing the box on Sungchan's lap. "I don't wanna eat anymore." 

  
  


The next stop, and Chenle begs it would be the last, is the arcade. 

Sicheng and Jaehyun pay for their tokens and again, Chenle wants to go home. He can't, Sicheng drove them there. Now he has to stick with Sungchan for another excruciating hour. The taller jumps on his rubber shoes to the nearest game he could find. Chenle follows without verbal complaints.

He could join the two best friends. He could do that and just say Sungchan wants to play alone. But he didn't, because Chenle thinks he's doing Sicheng a huge favor of hoarding his best friend all for himself. 

"Wanna play?" Sungchan finally acknowledges that he's with someone — or he knows, he just actually doesn't care. He hands Chenle the hammer from the whack-a-mole machine. 

Chenle takes it and imagines the things disappearing and reappearing from the holes are Sungchan's face, and one of them is Jaemin. 

He earns them quite a huge amount of tickets. 

When it was time to go home, they separated at the parking lot. Jaehyun brought his own car, and they have their own lift as well. Once inside the vehicle, Sicheng busies himself from taking his car out of the spot. 

"You and Sungchan seem close." Sicheng mumbles, eyes focused on the mirrors from all angles as he stirs the wheel. 

"Excuse me?" Chenle says, voice a bit higher than he intended, though his cousin should get his point. "I am not close with him."

Sicheng turns to the mirror next to the passenger seat, not before lifting an eyebrow at him. "Why are you so defensive." He declares rather than asks. 

Chenle didn't have an answer for that. His argument was Sicheng caught him off guard. 

  
  


_#3_

  
  


He won't stop seeing Sungchan and that's not his fault. It's the fault of the education system that has brought them together in one classroom. 

But it is Jaemin's fault that he's standing in front of Chenle, uninvited. 

"You what?" Chenle feels like he heard him wrongly; maybe the idiot just wants to borrow a pen. 

"I want to go to prom with you." Sungchan coughs, looking behind him for some reasons. 

"And what if I don't want to?" He counters, staring at Sungchan for a moment, sees the taller's shoulder sag in disappointment. Chenle wants to laugh. 

"Come on, dude. Just this one time." 

"No."

Sungchan groans, gives up possibly, and goes back to his seat in front. That's when Jaemin nudges him on the side. He forgets he permanently switched places with Donghyuck until the end of the school year. 

"Just say yes." Jaemin unhelpfully says, continuing to nudge his ribs. 

"Now, why would I do that?" Chenle looks back with a deadly glare, one he uses often for Donghyuck before he does something he will regret. 

Jaemin's eyes move from left to right, he leans in like he's about to share a secret between them. "I like Renjun." He whispers, smiling sheepishly at Chenle.

"Everyone knows that." 

His friend rolls his eyes, placing his left cheek on the desk. "I meant, I'm taking him to prom. I don't want you following us around."

Offensive, but understandable is what Chenle thought the moment the words came out of his friend's mouth. He wonders if romance is really this cruel, that one of your most trusted friends would sacrifice you to the lion's den just to take their crush to prom. That is awful, romance should also be banned along with action movies. 

"Ouch?"

"Oh, come on Chenle!" Jaemin has the nerve to shake his shoulder. "It might be fun! You told us you watched a movie together. Maybe sparks will fly higher this time."

"The only sparks that would be flying is when I set his pants on fire."   
  


So Chenle agreed for Sungchan to take him to prom. It's no big deal. They just have to act like they can tolerate each other until midnight. A little longer than when they were with Jaehyun and Sicheng, but doable, nonetheless. 

Sungchan is surprisingly serious with it though. He had asked Chenle this morning what would be their motif, and he kind of just stood there unsure of what to say. 

"What's your favorite color?" Sungchan asks when he didn't get a reply about the motif. 

"Blue, why?" Chenle replies, cautiously. 

"Okay, we can go with that." He nods to himself. "I'll tell you when I find a blue suit or whatever, okay?" 

"Uh, sure?"

  
  


Normally, Chenle would get a call from Jaemin or Renjun at this time of the night. But prom preparations have taken a toll on their friendship for a week. Now, he's not even looking forward to a smiley emoji from Jaemin. Or even a thumbs up reaction from Renjun in the group chat. 

What he didn't expect was an unknown number calling him. His first instinct was to look out the window. Although he admits he's not as popular as he thinks he is, stalker exists. He hesitantly clicks the answer button and puts the phone in his ear. 

"Hello?"

"Would navy blue be okay?"

"Excuse me?"

He hears an exasperated noise and a few bumping sounds from the other line. "I said, would navy blue be okay? What shade of blue do you prefer? Jaehyun hyung only has this one. I can ask mom to rent a different..."

Chenle tunes out the voice from the other line and realizes that it's Sungchan who's calling him. He's asking about prom and their _motif_ for the suits. Chenle can hear a bit of what he's saying but he isn't trying to understand it as he completely forgets that he'll be going to prom with Sungchan. That Jaemin actually persuaded him into saying yes for his own selfish reasons (read: Huang Renjun). 

"Chenle, hey, you still there?" Sungchan's voice snaps him out of his trance, blinking back into reality. A reality that the person who glued him into a chair is taking him to prom. 

"Uh, yeah. Anything blue is fine." 

Sungchan hums. "Great. Thanks." 

Chenle nods, freezing when he realized Sungchan couldn't see him. He settles into staring at himself in the mirror until he hears the other hanging up.   
  


To clear things up, Sungchan has admitted to him that this was all a bet and he lost. So he has to ask Chenle out to prom, and if he didn't say yes Sungchan would wake up very early every Saturday to do Yangyang and Donghyuck's laundry. In hindsight, Chenle thinks he had done Sungchan a huge favor for agreeing. One night with him is better than a whole summer of washing your friends' undergarments. 

He meets Sungchan outside the gates of their mansion. He calls it that because it is sickeningly huge. While his mother would say it's their humble home, there's nothing humble with thirty two chandeliers. He has to walk past the front yard fountain and ask the guard to open the gates before he sees Sungchan leaning on the driver's side of the car. 

Chenle sees that he's wearing a navy blue suit and tie, guesses he went with what he was trying on when he called Chenle that night. On the other end, Chenle feels pathetic for only putting effort on his tie. He shouldn't care about the slight frown that formed onto Sungchan's lips when he noticed this. He shouldn't even have noticed that in the first place. 

"I see that you tricked me." Sungchan grunts, closing the door. He mindlessly leans towards Chenle to put his seatbelt on him. The other boy's breath caught in his throat as he waited for Sungchan to back away. "I rubbed off on you, Zhong." He chuckles lowly, his expression doesn't look too happy.

  
  


There isn't a dull moment when you put Jung and Zhong together, and so the bickering continues. 

Cherry punch? No, Chenle wanted sprite. The best thing to prove that he was upset that Sungchan didn't know this was to throw a tantrum and ignore Sungchan for five whole minutes. 

Dancing? Sungchan would rather get eaten by birds (he wouldn't) than dance to a popular kpop group's song with Chenle and his friends. Apparently, Yangyang, Jeno, and Donghyuck are nowhere to be found. That's just great. At least Jisung is here. While he waits for Chenle to tire himself on the dance floor, he makes small talk to the silent boy sitting beside him. 

He's learned enough about Jisung for the next seven minutes, approximately two and a half kpop songs, after Chenle pulls him up to the dessert table. He can obviously do it himself, but being his prom date meant Sungchan gets to be his plate holder as well. He picks a cupcake, a few pieces of fruits and marshmallow coated with chocolate courtesy of the chocolate fountain donated by Yangyang's half-brother, Ten. 

"Are you done?" Sungchan asks, tiredly. 

Chenle glares at him from the side. "No, I'm hungry."

"Then eat real food. Eating only desserts would make you nauseous."

"And you care because?"

"I don't. I'm just informing you." 

Chenle shrugs and grabs two pieces of cookies. 

  
  


The information was well-received, Chenle should've considered listening to Sungchan for once or he won't be puking outside the gymnasium with his prom date patting his back. They had found Jeno and Donghyuck making out outside the building, and that was also a minor addition to his current state. 

"See, I told you so." 

He wants to protest and kick Sungchan on the knee, but he physically can't. What he wants is water, in which Sungchan gives him immediately once he has the energy to pull his head up. 

"I'll take you home." 

"What?" Chenle yells in shock, spurts of water came flying that his date had to back away from him while flapping his hands in front of his face. "No! I want to stay till closing."

"You can't, and you won't." He walks closer, looping an arm on Chenle's. "I asked Renjun to text your mom to tell her what happened. So she knows you're on the way home now."

"You're frustrating."

"And you need rest." 

Chenle goes home that night with the assistance from Sungchan up until the front door where his mother greets Sungchan and scolds her own son.   
  
  


And it ends there. Really, it should have. No more run ins, no more pranks. There is one week left until graduation and they would rather have their lives free of each other. After prom and the weekend that follows, comes dreadful Monday. 

Chenle doesn't see Sungchan on his chair when he enters the classroom that morning. He hears murmurs about him though, and some girl. 

"She's confessing to Sungchan? A brave soul." Chenle hears a particularly nosy girl tell her friend in front of him. Her friend nods and they continue to tell each other how they never found Sungchan attractive until prom. 

Weird, Chenle always think Sungchan's attract--

Before he finishes the thought, the room quiets down as a figure opens the door. He sees Jeno mumbling something he can't comprehend to his friend, Sungchan just shrugs. 

At lunch, Chenle sits at their usual table. He glances absentmindedly at Sungchan's table from time to time. He's been quiet since the morning. Even when Donghyuck said they plan to trash Jeno's locker before lunch ends, he just nodded at him. He stares some more. 

Sungchan felt the eyes on him, so he looked up to see Chenle blinking his eyes tiredly at him. He wants to ask why but the other looks away immediately. 

As expected, the attention span of teenagers is less than one, and so the news of someone confessing to Sungchan early on Monday morning dissipates in less that forty eight hours. They go back to normal, at least with the pranks and constant scolding from the teachers next door to keep their voices at normal rate. 

Yangyang was dared to dye some of his hair white, so he came to school that day looking like a makeup brush. Donghyuck was more than satisfied. "This is one of the greatest ideas from you, Jinsu." 

Chenle is now the third wheel to a disgusting relationship. Renjun would say he hates receiving this much affection from Jaemin, but the blush creeping from his neck to his ears is an indication that he is lying. 

Sometimes he wants graduation to be sooner than later, so they can get this over with. He wants to sit on his bed for two whole months or go to Jeju at Jaemin's parent's resort before being succumbed to university. 

His daydreaming gets interrupted by a ball hitting his desk. "Oops." That was Donghyuck's unapologetic voice. 

"Sorry," Chenle looks up to see Sungchan grabbing the inflatable ball from his desk, a strained smile painted in his face. "Hit it too high."

"I didn't ask." Chenle mumbles, mouth suddenly becoming dry. 

Sungchan laughs forcefully, "Right. Right, yeah." He goes back to the other side of the room and hits Donghyuck's face with the ball.

More things happen that Chenle would rather not address because it is one, irrelevant and two, awkward. Like the one time in front of the vending machine. He wanted a rice drink but he found Sungchan grabbing the last one. 

"Ah, no more sikhye?" He said it more to himself, though Sungchan heard it. What he did next was the weirdest thing. 

Sungchan hands the rice drink to Chenle. "Here take it, I want the melon juice anyway." He pushed the can onto Chenle's hand until he had no other choice but to grab it. 

Another one at the bus stop, which Chenle doesn't usually take. His personal driver was sick, and the other one was busy taking his parents to places. He joined Renjun into taking one and didn't expect the bus to be full at this hour. There was really no seat available, and he just so happens to make eye contact with Jung Sungchan from the far back of the bus. By some misfortune, Renjun pushed him to the back, "We will be here longer. Let's make some space for the others." He complies then and squeezes himself and comes face to face with Sungchan again.

"Hey, um." Sungchan shuffles on his seat before the two can utter another word, he stands up. "You two can sit here. I'm sure it's enough." He chuckles shyly. 

Renjun thanks him and doesn't hesitate to take a seat. Chenle moves tentatively to the side, Sungchan has to walk backwards to give him space but the bus stops and suddenly, Chenle's leaning on Sungchan's chest. 

  
  


-

  
  


"Are you sure you don't like Sungchan?" Jaemin says proudly, like it's something to be spoken aloud. 

Chenle snaps his head behind him to see if anyone has heard. He glances back at his friend and hisses, "Will you shut up?"

"So, my guts are correct. You like him." 

"Can't blame him, Jaem." Renjun unlawfully helps. "He'd come swooping Chenle off his feet far too many times." 

He hears a curious hum from the other while Renjun gives him a knowing look in return. 

  
  


Here comes what we're here for. 

Why are Sungchan and Chenle purposely ignoring each other? The blame goes to Yangyang and Jaemin. 

They're both too nosy for their own good, it's proven correctly on Thursday morning right when Chenle and Jaemin are waiting for Renjun to arrive outside the school building. Sungchan and his loud friends came walking behind them.

"Oh hey, Sungchan, isn't that Chenle?" They hear Yangyang innocently, along the buzzing of the other students walking by, says. "Why don't you say hi to your crush." He continues; a snicker from Donghyuck follows and Chenle has to duck his head in frustration. 

Jaemin isn't any better, he never is. As mentioned before, he's also a sucker for drama. "Chenle, isn't that Sungchan who you have a crush on? Go greet him." He wasn't even looking at his friend when he said it. Rather, he was watching how the taller would react. 

They hear the others shout Sungchan's name as he walks fast paced towards the hallway. 

  
  


It's completely not their fault that they have been aware of each other's presence everywhere they go. It used to be Sungchan and Chenle, two separate eighteen year olds just wanting to get through high school. But now, it's Sungchan and Chenle, two eighteen year olds ignoring each other because their friends couldn't keep a damn secret. 

The lack of rumours are true. They both have a crush on each other. Who knew this would happen in the first place. Chenle asks himself if being glued to a chair made him fall for the other, or was it the rice drink? Either way, his way of gaining a crush on someone is very lame. 

Unlike him, Sungchan knew when he started liking Chenle. It was prom, or before it, when he asked him about his favorite color. He started imagining the smaller on picnic dates with him under the moonlight, staring at the dark blue sky while pointing out constellations that Sungchan doesn't care about. The stars in Chenle's eyes are more beautiful, he thinks. 

Jeno sympathizes with him. Yangyang and Donghyuck find it hilarious, truly sticking to their brand of being the twin devils. 

  
  


Ignoring each other shouldn't be a big deal, they've done that for four years. But why do they feel obligated to explain themselves whenever they see each other. The answer lies on the rooftop.

That afternoon, while Sungchan stays behind doing his community service and Chenle practices for the graduation performance, their friends gather outside the gate to form an alliance. 

"Are you sure that'll work?" Renjun asks, side eyeing Jaemin who has his fist up in the air. 

"Very sure, baby!" 

"But how do we get them up there?" Donghyuck adds, raising a brow. 

  
  


It's fairly simple, really. Sungchan is gullible and Chenle follows orders with a little fight. 

Jeno tells Sungchan to meet them at the rooftop for lunch; his friends mentioned that he's the most trustworthy of them all. Sungchan won't suspect a thing if Jeno asks him to do anything. 

At the same time, Renjun orders Chenle to get an extra chair on said rooftop because they have a lot of those there. Chenle follows, since it's Renjun. He won't win even if tries complaining. 

  
  


Lunch arrives, Sungchan is the first to settle himself on one of the abandoned chairs. He puts his lunch bag on the desk beside it and waits for his friends. It's the last day before graduation, it's too sappy of Jeno to ask them to eat lunch out here. Though he guesses he'll miss the occasional burst of affection from his partner in crime. His smile appears when the door finally opens. 

It disappears when he sees that it's not one of his friends. 

Chenle has a scowl on his face when he opens the rusty old door of the rooftop. He swipes his hands on his pants before walking to the side where the chairs are placed. Someone clears their throat, Chenle stops walking. 

"Hi." Sungchan mumbles, hastily standing up from his seat and almost knocking his lunch bag down. 

Chenle rolls his eyes, cursing Huang Renjun's existence. "Oh, great." He's quick to turn around, hand on the rusty door knob. He tries opening it once, twice and gives up the third time. "Oh, great. Really, just fantastic!"

"Locked?" 

"You bet."

Sungchan breathes through his nose, looking down the railings only to see his friends high-fiving Chenle's friends. "They set it up."

"Yeah, no shit." Chenle scoffs. "You wanna get this over with?"

"Over what?"

"Don't play dumb, Sungchan." He rubs a palm on his face. Nothing can compare to the anger seeping in his bones; his and Sungchan's friends should prepare. "You heard Jaemin yell that I like you. You wanna hear it from me? Okay. I like you!" Chenle would seem confident if not for the blush on his cheeks. It's probably on his ears, too. 

"Really," Sungchan breathes. His eyes stare at Chenle, as if hypnotized by words that came out of the smaller's lips. His mouth closes and opens like a fish on the water. He looks really dumb, Chenle tells himself, but really cute. "I like-" He pauses to clear his throat. "You know, uh, Nagyung from the next room. She confessed to me last Monday. And, and I rejected her because I don't like her. I like you." 

"Is that a fire exit?" Chenle disrupts the heartfelt confession from his own crush to talk about his discovery. 

"What?" Sungchan turns to glance at the spot Chenle currently has his eyes on. "Oh. Oh, yeah." He looks back to Chenle and chuckles. "Our friends are stupid."

Chenle agrees, joining him as they laugh together. "Yeah they are." 

They figured their friends would appreciate it if they take this confessing thing seriously. What they do after planning to escape from the fire exit is to sit down first and talk. They settle to take things slow. Summer is around the corner, they have more time to get to know each other. Aside from that, they found out that their universities are a bus away from each other. They could visit easily once the term starts. 

Sungchan loves caressing Chenle's cheeks for some unknown reasons, he lets him have it. He continues pressing his thumb on the side of his lips as Chenle talks about himself. 

"Do you think we should go down now?" He coughs, abruptly standing up from the chair. 

  
  


Yangyang is the first to notice them walking down the fire exit and taps the rest so they can see their mistake happen. Once the two are back on the ground, they hear Donghyuck complaining to Jaemin how they could have forgotten there's a fire exit there. 

Chenle ignores their protests, entwining his and Sungchan's hands together. He looks back at the others and pokes his tongue out, teasingly, just as Sungchan opens the entrance doors. 

**Author's Note:**

> kudos and comments are highly appreciated ♡ happy new year~><


End file.
